For Qigong beginners, the first question that a student would raise would be – ‘What is Qi energy?‘

The most common problem is that most students have different ideas of what is Qi and what it does. Often times, these beliefs on Qi energy are very twisted and can vary from the view that Qi is a sort of superpower or some mysterious force. Sad to say, these kinds of understanding do nothing to help the student’s Qigong practice. Rather, it will leave them puzzled, disappointed and confused since all their expectations didn’t happen.

Pronounced as ‘Chee’, Qi is our general life force. It is what distinguishes us from the dead. When referring to the Bible, it is the breath of life from God. Qi energy is not a mysterious force, though it cannot be seen or gauged accurately with today’s advanced technologies. So far, the best translation for ‘Qi’ is that it is energy and it is present everywhere. If you feel energetic and lively, your Qi is strong. But if you feel exhausted and stressed, your Qi may be weak. Understanding Qi energy is actually simple.

Types of Qi Energy

Below are some important things you need to understand about Qi energy basics.

Prenatal Qi – think of it as your genetic makeup. This is the energy you get from your parents when you are born. Considered as your foundation, this includes your physical characteristics such as your bone structure, height, condition of organs etc.

Postheaven Qi – after birth, we get our nourishment and energy from two sources – the food we eat and the air we breath. These two main sources keep us healthy and alive.

We are born with unique genetic makeup and constitution. To attain our optimal state, we should keep these three things – diet, lifestyle and exercise. Qigong belongs to the exercise category, and only in one out of the three. This means that Qigong can play a huge part of your health and functioning but it is only one part of the whole.

Functions of Qi Energy

In our body, qi energy works in six ways.

1. Transporting – Qi energy is responsible for the transportation of fluids, vital substances and energy. Each body organs play a unique role and their respective Qi carry out such role.

2. Transforming – Qi performs the body’s various transformational processes. For example, spleen transforms the nourishment from food needed for body functioning, the kidney and bladder process urine etc. Transformation occurs throughout the body and it’s one reason why Qi energy is important.

3. Raising– Qi plays an important role for raising. One of the primary forces that we face at every second is gravity. Spleen does raise the organs while the kidney delivers energy upwards.

4. Holding – Qi is vital for holding. Lungs hold the sweat, bladder holds urine and the heart holds blood. On a wider and deeper perspective, we will learn that our body is composed of tissues and membranes. These structures rely on Qi to maintain integrity.

5. Warming – Qi energy is responsible for body warmth. This is a general function of the body’s energy.

6. Protecting – Qi protects the body from foreign invaders or pathogens. This protective component is governed by our lungs. When you are exhausted and stressed, you are more prone to having a cold. When you are full of energy, you can protect your body from colds.

If you noticed, all these processes are actual physiological functions. They are based on how the body functions. The practice of Qigong can boost and strengthen your Qi energy and doing so will strengthen the function of your body.

Bojan Zimmerman, “The Intuitive Creator” and founder of the Accelerated Creation Systems™ (ACS),” is a Tai Chi Chen Style Practitioner. Bojan is one of the world’s leading experts on the advanced use of intuition and transformative energy healing. Bojan helps transform and empower individuals, couples, and groups to overcome their emotional, physical and spiritual challenges by teaching them the healthy practice of Qi Gong and adaptation of ACS in their lives.